Charity Begins at (Somebody Else’s) Home

“As many have pointed out, Mitt and Ann Romney have been very generous, donating 19.2% of their income [to charity] in 2011 and 13.8% in 2010. Barack and Michelle Obama were in a similar league, donating 14.2% in 2010… At the other end of the generosity spectrum were Newt and Callista Gingrich, who made gifts of only 2.6% of their $3.1 million income in 2010, and Rick and Karen Santorum, who donated 1.8% of their $0.9 million income in 2010. (The Santorums gave 2.7% in 2009. The Gingriches have not released earlier tax returns.)”

I’m a little surprised that two avowedly religious candidates are so stingy with charity. The bible says tithe, which is 10 percent, and that would seem to be a small sacrifice for someone earning close to a million dollars (Santorum) and chump change for Gingrich ($3 million).”